As much as activists and artists tried, they couldn't stop it: Famed warehouse 5Pointz is being painted over. According to 5Pointz's official Twitter, painting began last night "with police protection."

See also:Can New York's "Graffiti Mecca" 5 Pointz Be Saved?

What purpose the whitewashing serves is unclear; plans for the luxury condos developers Jerry and David Wolkoff are constructing require the building to be completely razed. According to Gothamist, painting is still going on.

The buffing of 5Pointz comes after a protracted battle to keep the legendary hub for graffiti artists open after the Wolkoffs announced their intent to develop the land. The final stumbling block to the Wolkoff's plans came last week, when a judge ruled he could not grant an injunction to stop the development.

Twitter has erupted in an outpouring of sadness over the destruction of a monument to the city's vibrant street art community. Local businesses and tourists alike are mourning the passing of 5Pointz.